1. Field
This invention relates to handle arrangements for use in manipulating valves, especially those valves which control fluids such as water. More particularly, this invention is directed to a variety of handle arrangements which require two specific and distinct manual manipulations to be performed prior to the opening of the valve.
2. Prior Art
Various attempts have been made in the past to construct a valve handle arrangement which require a multi-step manual manipulation in order to operate the valve associated with the handle. A prime motivation for this multi-step requirement is to construct a handle which hinders the opening of the valve by small children. This motivation is especially compelling in the construction of valving systems which handle fluids whose accidental release through a valve may produce serious injury to the handler's operator. The most common fluid of concern in this area is hot, domestic culinary water.
One of the various past attempts in this area is that of Warner as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,716. Warner teaches the use of a core member which is fixedly mounted on the spindle of a subject valve. The core defines a hexagonally configured recess well on its upper surface. A hollow handle, which is graspable by the user, completely encloses the core. The handle is biased out of contact with the core by a spring mounted on the core's upper surface proximate the recess well. Fitted on the interior surface of the handle, opposite and above the recess well, is a hexagonal protrusion. The hexagonal protrusion is dimensioned and configured to be received within and mechanically cooperate with the recess well such that upon being received therein a user may apply a torque to the handle and thereby rotate the core and its attendant valve spindle to an open or closed position. In a rest position, the spring operates to retain the hexagonal protrusion out of contact with the recess well. In order for the handle to be properly operated, a user must first depress the handle against the action of the spring and thereafter apply a torque to the handle while retaining a depressing force against the handle. The Warner handle also includes a plurality of extensions proximate its lower surface which mechanically cooperate with those on the lower surface of the core to supplement the mechanical union of the hexagonal protrusion and the recess well. In essence, Warner describes a handle which includes a key member configured to be inserted into a recess well to form a positive connection between a manually manipulated handle and the valve spindle.
Other handle arrangements which detail various modifications of inserting a key-like member into a recess well are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,501,008 (Schramm); U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,040 (Thurlow); U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,409 (Tripp); and U.S. Pat. No. 2,780,333 (Reiser). A common denominator of each of these arrangements is the reliance on a spring to bias the key out of contact with a corresponding recess well. In each case, the user must depress the handle and overcome the resistive force of the spring before the handle can be actuated. While this characteristic is generally beneficial in a safety context in that it provides a handle which must be constantly depressed by the user during its actuation, it does have some drawbacks.
Upon each actuation, the user must align the key or keys with a proximate recess well. In most, if not all, of the devices disclosed, this alignment requires time. In some instances, perhaps a quarter turn of the knob is required. Since this alignment is done blindly since the keys and respective recess wells are hidden from view, its completion is a matter of trial and error.
In many situations, the user has initially opened the valve, released the handle and caused the fluid to flow. Thereafter, many times the user must adjust the valve to a proper setting. In the event the user is being contacted by the released fluid, which may be hot, the rapid and efficient adjustment of the valve assumes considerable importance. If the user is required to depress the handle and then by trial and error ascertain the location of the recess well or wells, significant discomfort, if not injury, may be resultant. This is especially the case with users whose manual dexterity or motor skills are less than average.
There exists a need for a handle which, at once, requires an initial multi-step manual manipulation in order to activate the valve, but which may be locked in place during use so as to permit ready adjustment of the valve without the complications of multi-step manipulation. Furthermore, a need exists for this handle to be readily returnable to its multi-step configuration with a minimum of effort to do so.